Automobile storage



c. F. GODDARD y 1,811,545

AUTOMOBILE STORAGE Filed Oct. 12, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 2,3, 1931.

HH'Q

NVENTOR.

BY u ATTQRNEY.

June 23, 1931. c. F. GODDARD 1,811,545 v AUTOMOBILE STORAGE Filed Oct;A12, 192e 2 sheets-sheet 2 l 1 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented June 23A, 1931 UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFIcE CHARLES F. GODDARD,F DENVER, GOLORAIDO, SSGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

-To wEsT'INGHoUsE ELECTRIC a PENNSYLVANIA l MANUFACTURING COMPANY, ACORPORATION 0F .AUTOMOBILE sTonAGE Application filed October 12, 1926.Serial No. 141,159.

This invention relates to automobile storage and it has for itsprincipal object to provide nuan elevator system involving the use of apluralit of cages moving in two columns and shi table from one columnYto another, wherebyra large number of motor vehiclesI may be stored ina structure covering a comparatively small 'ground-area while all thevehicles are readily accessible for individual removal.

Other objects relating'to details of construction and to novelarrangements and combinations of parts will be fully brought out in` thecourse 'of the following description with reference to drawings.

In the drawings in which similar characters of reference designatecorresponding' parts'throughout the several views Figure 1 represents afragmentary sectional -plan view of the structure involving theelevator-apparatus in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2, a vertical sectional elevation of the structure illustrated inFigure l,

Figure 3, a vertical section in the plane indicated by the line 3 3 inFigure 2,

Figure 4, 'an enlarged elevation of one of the elevator-cages includedin the apparatus, Figure 5, a fragmentary side view of the cage shown inFigure 4,

Figure 6, a View similar to Figure 1, showing the cagesof the apparatusin an adjusted position and in association with an operating mechanismin the bottom portion of their shaft,

Figure 7 a sectional elevation of the apparatus in aplane at rightangles to that of Figure 6, v

Figure 8 an enlarged sectional view of a dog and its controlllng means,included in the construction of the lifting means of the theaccompanying Figure 11, a view of a portion of one of the cablesincluded in the shifting element of the apparatus.

All of the views are more or less diagrammatic, it being understood thatthe novelty of the invention resides primarily in the arrangement andmethod of loading, elevating,. shifting and supporting the vehicle'carrying Areceptacles or cagesfand that the.`

lmechanisms by which these results are accomplished are subject .tovariation within the scope and spirit of the invention as here- -inafterto be set forth and as delinedin the hereunto appended claims.

Referring further to the drawings the reference numeral 5 designates ashaft or well in a' building in which the system of elevators and itsoperating mechanism are assembled. The shaft has at opposite sidesthereof a landing Hoor 6 on which the vehicles are moved to and from theload-'receptacles o r elevator cages 7 and the operating mechanism ispreferably installed in a chamber 8 at the bottom of the shaft,separated from the main portion of the same, by a horizontal partition9.

The elevator cages are rectangular in form,

open-ended and o sufficient size to house any motor vehicle -of standardproportions..

Each cage has at its top, a series of rollers 10 for Athe movablesupport' of a superposed cage and vit has at opposite ends of its floor,outwardly projecting pins 12 which 1n the operation of theapparatus-,cooperate wlth lugs on shifting cables hereinafter to bedescribed. i

The cages are y vertical guide ways which d1v1de the shaft vinto twoadjoining sections 13 and 14 and each upper cage may be supported jonthe rollers of the next lower one as clearly shown in the drawings.

The operating mechanism bywhich the. columns of cages are lifted and by`which they are shifted from one shaft-section to another, may, as statedhereinbefore, be of any suitable character, that .shown in the drawingsconsisting principally of two hydraulic rams upon which the columns aresupported. Each ram has av plunger 16 mounted in two columns in inder 15and the plunger supports a skeleton head 17 which in operation engagesthe lower cage of the column in the respective sectiony of the shaft.

The two cylindersof the rams connect with a pump-unit 18 by which afluid body is transferred from one cylinder to another alternately, sothat one plunger is lifted while the other one is lowered by its load inalternate movements controlled by the operation of the pump. t

Extending transversely of the shaft-sections in the lower portionsthereof are two airs of horizontal beams 19, carrying antirictionrollers 20 and constituting platforms for the support of the lowermostcage of the column. At the up er ends of the upright members of the skeeton heads of the ram plungers, are pivoted dogs 21 which may be movedinto and out of t 1e paths of the elevator cages by crank-movements 22in connection with pistons fitted for reciprocation in cylinders 23which by means of pipes .24 are connected at opposite sides of theirplstons, with an' air-reservoir 25 in the chamb er 8.

Pivoted on the upright guide-members of the shaft-sections at a levelslightly above the top of the cages supported on the platforms providedby the Cross-beams 19, are dogs .26r which likewise may be thrown intoor out of the paths of the columns of elevator-cages, by crank movements27 connected with pistons in air-cylinders 28 which at their oppositeends are by means of pipes 29 connected with the reservoir 25.

In Figure 2 has been shown one Set .of dogs for each shaft section whichin practlce supports the-entire column of cages, but 1n Figure 7 hasbeen depicted a modifcationof this construction Vin which the cagesabove the lowermost ones are individually supported on sets of dogs-26and the dogs o the various sets are connected for simultaneous The lastdescribed system is distin ished from the first described system in t atthe 'operation by means of pivoted bars 30.

weight of the cages and their loads is dis-l tributed over a number ofsets of supporting members when the elevating systemis in a condition ofrest, but whether the multiple sets of dogs or .the single sets of dogsare used in the shaft, these do s as well as those on the rams must besu ciently strong to sustain the weight of all the cages in each columnand their loads with a reasonable margin of safety.

The pump unit 18 is controlled'by an aircyli'nder 31 similar inconstruction to those associated with the' dogs in the elevator shaftsand on the ram-plungers, the cylinder 31 being connected with thereservoir 25 by a 'pipe 32. The flow of air throu h the pipes connectedto the various cylin ers -is conoperation of the system.v

' operating mechanism as the case may be.

Neither of the mechanisms have been shown in the drawings which asstated hereinbefore, depict the operating system of the invention moreor less diagrammatically and not with reference to details ofconstruction.

The shifting element of the invention by which the cages are transferredhorizontally from one column to another consists inthe constructionshown, of two cables 35 mounted to run over sheaves 36 and connected attheir ends to the skeleton heads 17 of the two rams. The sheaves arearranged so that portions of the cables extend horizontally in planeswith the bottom parts of the upper and lower cages ofthe two columns andthese portions of the cables are provided with U-shaped lugs 37 toengage with the laterally projecting pins 12 on the cages asl best shownin Figure 11 of'the'drawings.

Premising that the cages are in the position illustrated in Figures 6and 7, it will be noted that in one of the columns, that at the righthand side of Figure 6, the lowermosty cage rests u on the cross-beams19, below the landing oor while the next following cage is supported ona level with the floor upon the inwardly projecting dogs 26 on theupright'guide ways of the respective shaft-section. The other cages ofthe column may be supported upon each other and together upon the cagewhich rests on the dogs on a level with the landing floor, in case butone set of dogs is provided for the purpose as shown in Figures 1 and 2,or they may be supported individually on the Ainwardly projecting dogswhen a system of interconnected dogs is employed to that 'end as hasbeen shown in Figures 7 and 9.

The plunger of the ram below the column is in its retracted position andthe uppermost cage of the column is below the top of the shaft at adistance therefrom substantially equal to the height of one of thecages, to provide a's ace 38 into which the said cage of the co umn maybe shifted in the In the other column of cages, that at the left-handside of Figure 6, the lower-most cage is on a 'level with the landingHoor,

supported on the dogs projecting inwardly from the respectiveshaft-section and the other cagesare sustained either upon the lowercage or upon the series of dogs pro- -is in its extended position inwhich the head jecting into the shaft as hereinbefore explained withreference to the first described column. The plunger of the respectiveram thereof is contiguous to the bottom of the 'lowermost cage, thespace 39 between the The two cages which are on a level with the landingfloor are in a position t be loaded with automobiles driven into theiropen` ends from either=direction and when one or both of the cages areloaded, the operating l mechanism is actuated through the medium of theswitch 34 to bring other empty cages in register with the lloor. Theoperation by hich this result is accomplished is as follows: The dogs 26in the shaft-sections are moved about' their pivots to their retractedpositions and the dogs 21 on the heads of the ram plungers aresimultaneously moved to their inwardly projecting positions.V The twocolumns are now supported on their respective rams and whensubsequentlythe position of the two ram plungers is reversed by actuation of the vpump unit through the medium of the valve 33, the column at the righthand side of Figure 6 i's lifted to the position illustrated m 4Figure2, in which its uppermost cage occupies the space 38 and its lowermostcage is brought to a level with the landing iloor, and the column at theleft hand side of Figure 6 isv lowered until the lowermost cage rests onthe rollers of the cross beams 19 and the upper cage is distand from thetop of the shaft to provide the' space 38 into which the upper cage ofthe other column may be shifted, all as illustrated in Figure 2. Y

When the two columnshave thus reversed their positions, the shaft-dogsare again moved to their projecting positions whereby to support thecolumns independent of the rams, and the dogs on the rams are at thesame time retracted, which leaves the rams free for a separate operationby which the uppermost cage of one of the' columns and the lowermostcage of the other column are shifted horizontally into the open spaces38 and 39.

During the upward and downward movement of the columns the pins 12 onthe upper and lower cages were separated from the U-shaped lugs 37 onthe cables immediately.

after the cages were moved from their posltions of rest, therebypermitting the cables to move with the rams without interference withthe movement of the cages In order that Vthis separation of the pinsfrom the lugsV may occur immediately after the columns have theirmovement, the lugs have been made suiciently wide to permit of a freemovement of the cable during the time he pins on the cages areseparated, from the ugs.

In the next step of the operation, the ram lplungers, are reciprocatedindependently of the columns for the purpose of shifting the upper cageof the ri ht hand column into the space at the top o the left handcolumn' while at the same time the lowermost cage of the left handcolumn is moved into the Y space below the right hand column, all of Ywhich is accomplished by the longitudinal movement of the cablesinstigated by the' reciprocating motion of the ram-plungers and theengagement of the lugs on the cables with the pins of the respectivecages.

At the termination of this ymovement of the rams and the cages, theram-plungers are returned to their original positions, as shown inFigure 6.

A The operation as hereinabove described is repeated each time one orboth of the cars on the level with the landing floor are loaded orwhenever it is desired to withdraw a car in one of the loaded cages ofeither column, by bringing the cage to the level of the iloor.

It will be apparent that by the use of my improved storage-system alarge number of automobiles may be stored in a shaft the ground area ofwhich is but slightly larger than the space ordinarily occupied by twoof. the vehicles placed side by side, that the automobiles are readilymoved into the storage shaft and as easily removed from the same andthat each of the cars is automatically protected againstl unauthorizedre` movalas long as the cage into which it is stored is raised above thelevel ofthe landing iloor.A

The open-ended cage permits of cars en- A v obtained in other ways orthat the cages may Y be supported directly one upon another without theintermediary of antl-friction appliances.

One of the distinctive features of the in-A v vention resides insupporting the columns of.

cages and their loads from below the columns, and in utilizing'thesupporting mechanism to lift the columns alternately as described. Thisfeature of the invention relieves the building or other structure inwhich the shaft is formed, from most of the strains resulting from .theweight and movement of the loaded cages, in the operation of vtheapparatus.

While the cages have been shown and described as being open at bothends, it is to be understood that they may -be open at one end only orprovided with doorsif necessary. It is also to be understood that theoperation of the elevating and shifting mechanisms may be reversed atwill, which increases the accessibility of the cages for the removal ofthe vehicles stored therein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to securevby Letters Patent is 1. In an elevator system, means defining a pair ofadjacent vertical columns interconnected at their respective ends, aplurality of load receptacles in each of said columns supported one uponanother, means for circuitously moving said receptacles through the pathdefined by said columns, said moving means comprising a cylinder at thebottom -of each of said vertical columns and reciprocating means foreach cylinder, said cylinder having a non-elastic Huid for actuatingsaid reciprocating means for that cylinder, said reciprocating meansmoving the adjacent columns of receptacles simultaneously in oppositedirections until the topmost receptacleA in -the first column isentirely above 'the topmost receptacle in the second column and thebottommost receptacle in the Vsecond column is entirely be-v low thebottommost receptacle in the first column, means mounted on said meansdelining said vertical columns for supporting said receptacles in eachcolumn in this position, and means movable by subsequent movement ofsaid reciprocating means for transferring the topmost receptacle in thefirst column laterally into vertical alinement with the receptacles inthe second column and the bottommost receptacle in the second columnlaterally into vertical alinement with the receptacles in the firstcolumn.

2.`In an elevator system, means defining -a pair of adjacent verticalcolumns interconnected at their respective ends, a plurality of loadreceptacles in each of said columns supported one upon another, meansfor circuitously moving said vreceptacles through the path defined bysaid columns, said movingmeans comprising a cylinder at the bottom ofeach of said vertical columns and reciprocating means for each cylinder,

' each cylinder having a non-elastic fluid for actuating saidreciprocating means'for that cylinder, said reciprocating means engagingt e bottommost receptacle in their respective 'columns for movingVthe'adjacent columns of receptacles simultaneously in o positedirections until the topmost'receptac e Y mrrthelfirstcolumn-.isentirely above the topmost receptacle inthe second column and thebottommost receptacle in the isecond column is entirely below thebottommost receptacle in the first column, means mounted on said meansdefining said vertical columns forsupporting said receptacles in eachcolumn in this position, and means movable by subsequent movement ofsaid reciprocating means for transferring thetopmost receptacle in thefirst column laterally into vertical alincment with' the receptacles inthe second column and the bottommost receptacle in the second columnlaterally into vertical alinement with the receptacles inthe firstcolunm.

3.' In an elevator system, means defining a pair of adjacent verticalcolumns interconnected at their respective ends, a plurality of loadreceptacles in each of said columns supported one upon another, meansfor circuitously moving said receptacles through the path defined bysaid columns,

said moving means alternately moving adjacent columns of receptacles inopposite receptacle in the first column is entirely above the topmost.receptacletin the second column and the bottommost receptacle in thesecond is entirely below the bottommost receptacle in the first columnand transferring the topmost receptacle in the first column and thebottommost receptacle in the second column laterally simultaneouslyuntil they are in vertical alinement with their respectively oppositecolumns of receptacles, and a plurality of dogs mounted on said meansdefining the said vertical colunms and normally disengaged from saidreceptacles for engaging each of said other receptacles individually tosupport them during the time that the topmost receptacle in the firstcolumn and the bottommost receptacle in the second column aretransferred laterally to their respectively opposite columns ofreceptacles.

4. In an elevator system, means defining a pair of adjacent verticalcolumns inter-l the topmost receptacle in the second columny and thebottommost receptacle in the second column is entirely below thebottommost receptacle in the first column and transferring the topmostreceptacle in the first column and bottommost receptacle in the; secondcolumn laterally sumultaneously until they are in vertical alinementwith their respectively opposite columns of receptacles, and a 'luralityof dogs mounted on said means de g` said vertical columns and normallydisengaged from said receptacles for engaging each of said other re.ceptacles individually to support them during the time that the topmostreceptacle in the first .column and the bottommost receptacle inthesecond colunm are transferred laterally to their respectively oppo'sitecolumns of receptacles, means mounted adjacent said vertlcal columns foractuating all l said moving means alternately moving adalinement withvtheir respectively opposite columns of receptacles, and means o neach..

jacent columns of receptacles in opposite directions simultaneouslyuntil the topmost receptacle in the first column is entirely above thetopmost receptacle in the second column and the bottommost receptacle inthe second column is entirely below the bottommost receptacle in thefirst column vand transferring the topmost receptacle in the rst columnand the bottommost receptaclev in the second column laterallysimultaneously until they are in vertical alinement with theirrespectively op osite columns of receptacles, a plurality oi] dogsmounted on said means. defining said vertical columns andl normallydisengaged from said receptacles, for engaging each of said otherreceptacles individually to support them during the time that thetopmost receptacle in the first column and bottommost receptacle in thesecond column are transferred laterally to their respectively oppositecolumns of receptacles, and reciprocating means mounted adjacent saidvertical columns for actuating all the said individual dogs for eachreceptacle simultaneously.v

6. In an elevator system, means defining a pair of adjacent verticalcolumns interconnected at their respective ends a plurality of'loadreceptacles in each of saidpcolumns supported one upon another, meansfor circuitously moving said receptacles through the path defined bysaid columns, said moving means comprising reciprocating means, in eachof saidvertical col-` umns for moving adjacent columns of receptacles inopposite directions until the topmost receptacle in the iirst column isentirely above the topmost receptacle in the second column and thebottommostreceptacle in the second column is entirely below thebottommost receptacle in the rst column and, alternately, transferringthe topmost receptacle in the first column and the bottommost receptaclein the second column simultaneously laterally until they are in verticaleplumns ofv receptacles, a' plurality of clogs said receptacles, forengaging each of said other receptacles individually to support themduring the time that the topmost receptacle in the first column and thebottommost receptacle in'the second column` are trans. .ferred laterallyto vtheirhrespectively opposite .columns of receptacles, and dogs oneach of said reciprocating means normally engaging the of said columnsof receptacles for supporting the columns of receptacles respectivelyassociated therewith during the movement-of the receptacles through thevertical columns and disengaging the bottommost receptacle during thetime of transfer of the topmost receptacle in the first column' andthe'bottommost receptacle in the second column to thelir respectivelyopposite columns of receptac es.

ottommost receptacle in veachl 7. In an elevator system, means definingU a pair ofpadjacent vertical columns interconnected at their'respective ends, a plurali y of load receptacles in each of said columnssupported one upon another, means for circuitously moving saidreceptacles through the path defined by said columns, said moving meanscomprising reciprocating means in each of said vertical columns foralternately moving adjacent columns of receptacles in A oppositedirections simultaneously until the topmost receptacle inthe rst columnis entirely above the topmost receptacle in thesecond column and thebottommost receptacle v in the second column is entirelytbelow thebottommost receptacle in the first 4column and transferring the topmostreceptacle in the first column and the bottommost receptacle in thesecond column llaterally simultaneously until they are in verticalalinement with their respectively opposite columns of receptacles, aplurality of dogs mounted on said means defining said vertical columnsand normally disengaged from said rece tacles for engaging saidreceptacles in ividually to support them during the time that thetopmost receptacle in the first coll receptacles through' the verticalcolumns and disengaging the bottommost receptacle associated therewithduring the time of trans- ,er of the topmost receptacle in the firstcolumn and the bottommost receptacle in the second column to theirrespectively opposite of said reciprocating means of said moving `meansfor actuating said dogs on said recipthe topmost receptacle in thesecond column and the bottommost receptacle in the second column isentirely below the bottommost receptacle in the first column and,alternately, transferring the topmost receptacle in the first column andthe bottommost `receptacle in the second column simultaneously laterallyuntil they are in vertical alinement with their respectively op ositecolumns of receptacles, a plurality o dogs mounted on said meansdefining said vertical columns and normally disengaged from saidreceptacles for engaging said receptacles individually to support themduring the time that the topmost receptacle in tlie first column and thebottommostv receptacle in the second column are transferred laterally totheir respectively opposite columns of receptacles, dogs on each of-said reciprocating means of said moving means and normally engagin thebottommost receptacle in each of said columns of receptacles forsupporting the columns of receptacles respectively,l associatedtherewith during the movement of the receptacles through the verticalcolumns and disengaging the bottommost receptacle associated therewithduring the time of transfer of the topmost receptacle in the firstcolumn and the bottommost receptacle in t-he second column to theirrespectively opposite columns of receptacles,-and means for effectingsequentlal operation of said moving means, said dog on said meansdefining said vertical columns and said dog on said reciprocating meansof said moving means.

9. In an elevator system,

means defining a pair of adjacent vertical columns inter- -connected attheir respective ends, a. plurality of load receptacles in each of saidcolumns supported one upon another, means for circuitously moving saidreceptacles through the path defined by said columns, said movin eachofsaid vertical columns for moving said adjacent columns of receptaclesin opposite directions until the topmost receptacle in the first columnis entirely above the topmost receptacle in the second column and thebottommost receptacle in the second column -is entirely below thebottommost receptacle ing means comprising reciprocating means' in thefirst column and, alternately, transferring the topmost receptacle inthe first vcolumn and the bottommost receptacle in the disengaged fromsaid receptacles for engaging said receptacles individually to supportthem during the time that the topmost receptacle in the first column andthe bottommost receptacle in the second column are transferred laterallyto ,theirI respectively opposite columns of receptacles, dogs on each ofsaidv reci rocating means of said moving means an normally engagin thebottommost receptacle in each of sai columns of receptacles forsupporting the columns of receptacles respectively associated therewithdurin the movement of the receptacles throug the vertical colunms anddisengaging the bottommost receptacle associated therewith during thetime of transfer of the topmost receptacle in the first j column and thebottommost receptacle in the second column to their respectivelyopposite columns of receptacles, and an electrical switch for effectingse uential operation of said moving means, sai dogs on said meansdefining said vertical columns and said dogs on said reciprocating meansvof said moving means. Y, g

10. In an elevator system, means defining 'a pair of adjacent verticalcolumns interconnected at their respective ends, a plurality of loadrece tacles in each of said columns supporte one upon another, means forcircuitously movin said -receptacles through the path de ned by saidcolumns, said moving means comprising reciprocating means in each ofsaid vertical columns for moving said adjacent columns of receptacles inopposite directions until the topmost receptacle in the first column isentirely above the topmost receptacle in the second `column and thebottommost receptacle in the second column is entirely below thebottommost receptacle in the first column and, alternately, transferringthe topmost receptacle in the rst column and the bottommost receptaclein the second column simultaneously laterall until they are in verticalalinement wit their respectively opposite columns of receptacles, aplurality of dog means mounted on said means de,

.ning said vertical columns and normally disengaged from saidreceptacles, for engaging said receptacles individually to support t emduring the time that the topmost receptacle in the first column and thebottommost receptacle in the second column are transferred laterall totheir respectively opposite columns o receptacles, dog means on each ofsaid reciprocating means of said Y moving means and normally engagingthe bottommost receptacle in each. of said columns of Vreceptacles forsupporting the columns of receptacles respectively associated therewithduring the movement of the receptacles through thevertical columns anddisengagingthe bottommost receptacle associated therewith during thetime of transfer lof the topmost receptacle in the first column and thebottommost receptacle in thevsecond column to their respectivelyopposite columns of'receptacles, an electrical switch Yfor effectingsequential operation of said moving means, said dog on said meansdefining said vertical columns and said dog on said reciprocating meansof said moving means, and motive means for actuating said electricalswitch.

11'.. In an elevator system, means deining al pair of adjacent verticalcolumns interconnected at their respective ends, a plurality ofloadreceptacles in each of said columns supported oneupon another, meansfor .25, circuitously moving said receptacles through Y mg the pathdefined by said columns, said movmeans comprising reciprocating means ineach of the lsaidclumns for supporting all o vthe receptacles in theirrespective columns and moving them simultaneously in opposite directionsuntil the topmost receptacle in the first column is entirely above Y thetopmost receptacle in the second column and the bottommost receptacle inthe second column is entirely below the bottommost receptacle in thefirst column, and cables the opposite ends of which are attached toseparate reciprocating means for engaging and moving the topmostreceptacle inthe irst column and the bottommost receptacle in the secondcolumn simultaneously and laterally into vertical alinement with theirrespectively opposite columns of receptacles and operable by subsequentreversed movement of said reciprocating means.

12. In an elevator system, means defining a pair of adjacent verticalcolumns interconnected at their respective ends, a plurality of loadreceptacles in each of said columns supported one upon another, meansfor circuitously moving said receptacles through the path defined bysaid columns. said moving means comprising reciprocating means in eachlof the said columns for supporting all of the receptacles in theirrespective columns and moving them simultaneously in opposite directionsuntil the topmost receptacle in the rst column is entirely above thetopmost receptacle in the second column and the bottommost receptacle inthe second column is entirely below the bottommost receptacle in thefirst column, pins on each receptacle, and cables having the oppositeends thereof attached'to separate reciprocating means, said cablesengaging said pins on the topmost receptacle lsaid reciprocating means.

.13. In an elevator sy`stem,means defining a. pair of adjacent verticalcolumns/interconnected at their respective ends, a plurality oi loadreceptacles in each of said columns supported one upon another, meansfor circuitously ymoving said receptacles through the path defined bysaid columns, said moving means comprising reciprocating means in eachof the said columns for supporting all the receptacles in` theirrespective columns and moving them simul-A- taneously in oppositedirection until the topmost receptacle in the first column is entirelyabove the topmost receptacle in the second column and the bottommostreceptacle in the second column is entirely below the bottommostreceptacle in the first column, pins on each receptacle, cables havingthe opposite ends thereof attached to separate recip. rocatingmeans,'lugs on said cables for engaging the said pins on the topmostreceptacle in the first column and the-pins on the bottommost receptaclein the second column whereby subsequent reversed movement o saidreciprocating means moves the topfor moving adjacent columns ofreceptacles V simultaneously in opposite directions until the topmostreceptacle in the first column is entirely above the topmost receptacle1n the second column and the bottommost receptacle in the second columnis entirely below the bottommost receptacle in the first column, meansmountedon said means delining said vertical columns for supporting saidreceptacles in this position, and means directly attached to and movable.by subsequent movement of said reciprocating means for transferring thetopmost receptacle in `the first column laterally into verticalalinement with the receptacles in the second column and the bottommostreceptacle in the second column laterally i'nto vertical alinement withthe receptacles in the first column.

15. In a storage system, a plurality of load receptacles supported oneupon anotherv in two adjacent vertical columns, means for circuitouslymoving said receptacles successively through the adjacent columns, saidmoving means including reciprocating means for moving adjacent columnsof receptacles simultaneously in opposite directions until the topmostreceptacle in the rst column is entirely above the topmost receptacle inthe second column and the bottommost receptacle in the second column isentirely below the bottommost receptacle in the first co1umn,' andmeasmechanically connecting said reciprocating means with the topmostreceptacle in one column and the bottommost receptacle in the othercolumn for eiecting lateralmovement of these receptacles to theirrespectively opposite columns by subsequent movement of thereciprocating means.

In testimony whereof I have aixedmy signature.

Y CHARLES F. GODDARD.

